Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has approved the payment of 50% of the additional N1.9 million increment of the 2024 hajj exercise fare for the intending pilgrims from the State.
The Government will therefore, pay a subsidy of ₦959,000 for the 1,652 intending pilgrims from the State totaling over ₦1.5 billion to bring socour to them during the hajj exercise.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner of Religious Affairs and Community Orientation, Yakubu Hamza during a media briefing at the Government House Bauchi on Friday.
He explained that the benefiting intending pilgrims comprise of those who have already paid the increment and those who are yet commit the development as well as those who were being awarded a Hajj slots by the state government.
In a Remark, the Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abdulrahman Idris, explained that intending pilgrims who have registered and paid the initial total deposit of N4.7 million and N4.5 million with the State Pilgrims Board will now deposit ₦959,000 out of the N1.9 million increase.
Recalled that the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) increased the fare for the year 2024 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia by N1,918,032.91.
The Commission also set March 28, 2024 as deadline for intending pilgrims to make their payments. It attributed the increase in fare to the foreign exchange crisis rocking the country.